Probability of detection.

<p>The relationship between the probability of detection (<i>p</i>), week of the year (WEEK∧2) and island perimeter (PERIM; 40 m = solid line, 358 m = broken line, 800 m = dotted line).</p

The 10 top ranking models depicting initial island occupancy (ψ₀), colonisation (γ), extinction (ε) and detection (<i>p</i>).

<p>NOTE: models are ranked according to Akaike’s Information Criterion (AIC) and differences in AIC (ΔAIC). ωi = AIC weights; K = number of parameters; for definition of covariates see <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0056462#pone-0056462-t002" target="_blank">table 2</a> and Methods.</p

Map of study location in Norway and the 15 islands in the river Glomma. Black dots represent trap locations on the islands and on the mainland.

<p>Map of study location in Norway and the 15 islands in the river Glomma. Black dots represent trap locations on the islands and on the mainland.</p

Estimates ± SE on the logit scale for the covariates used to model the occupancy dynamics (ψ₀, γ, ε, <i>p</i>) of the root vole metapopulation.

<p>NOTE: Estimates from univariate models used to identify covariates for the multivariate analyses and from the best multivariate model are shown. Provided is also the sign of the a priori predicted effects. All covariates in the best model had at strong impact, i.e. 95% CI (<i>β</i> ±1.96xSE) do not overlap 0; * denotes covariates with strong univariate impact and thus included in the multivariate models; PERIM = perimeter; DISTML = distance to mainland; DISTS = distance to nearest source population; PFOOD = proportion of food and cover; WMAX = maximum water level; WMIN = minimum water level; POPML = population density index for the mainland the previous season; POPISL = population density index for the island the previous season; WEEK = week of the year; WEEK∧2 = week of the year on a quadratic form.</p

Probability of extinction.

<p>The relationship between the probability of extinction (ε), population density index on the island the previous season (POPISL) and maximum water lever (WMAX; 255 m = solid line, 256 m = broken line, 257 m = dotted line).</p

Time schedule of the study and trapping results.

<p>Time schedule of the study and trapping results.</p

Probability of colonisation.

<p>The relationship between the probability of colonisation (γ), population density index on the mainland the previous season (POPML) and proportion of food and cover on the ground (PFOOD; 5% = solid line, 33% = broken line and 55% = dotted line).</p

Settlement in empty versus occupied habitats: an experimental study on bank voles

This is the postprint version of the article. The original publication is available at www.springerlink.comAbstract Despite the recognised im 23 portance of colonisation (settlement in empty habitats) and immigration (settlement in an established population) to species persistence and evolution few have investigated these processes in territorial mammals and how they affect species’ traits. We translocated female bank voles (Myodes glareolus) onto an island (2.58 ha) in a two-stage experiment (stage 1: colonisation of empty population space and stage 2: immigration into an established population) to test (1) if colonisers and immigrants differ in probability of settlement and pregnancy, and (2) if settlement is affected by cues of conspecifics, i.e., simulated deserted home ranges (SDHR) and resident presence. Density was kept well below saturation in 8 temporally distinct population replicates over 3 years. SDHR and resident presence neither attracted nor repelled colonisers and immigrants, respectively, and settlement was not different from a random model. Probability of settlement tended to be higher in colonisers than immigrants and the probability of pregnancy was significantly higher in colonisers; immigrants settling within the home range of residents had nearly zero probability of pregnancy. Colonisation of empty habitat patches selected based on physical or resource based habitat features is apparently the optimal settlement strategy of dispersing voles, because cues from conspecifics may provide ambiguous information and social factors may inhibit settlement or delay reproduction in immigrants even at low population density